Pacific's Murphy joins Indians

Thursday

Jun 12, 2014 at 12:01 AM

STOCKTON - Taylor Murphy was already moving by Wednesday afternoon.

Jagdip Dhillon

STOCKTON - Taylor Murphy was already moving by Wednesday afternoon.

Such is the life of a professional baseball player, which Murphy has now become, after the Cleveland Indians selected him in the 18th round of Major League Baseball's first-year player draft Saturday, and he decided to forgo his senior season at Pacific and sign with them.

Murphy was having his belongings sent from Stockton back home to San Diego on Wednesday and by early next week will leave for Goodyear, Ariz., and report to the AZL Indians, Cleveland's rookie ball team.

"It's been a lifelong goal of mine to play pro ball and the Indians presented an excellent opportunity," Murphy said. "(Pacific) coach Ed Sprague really helped develop me over the past three years and I felt I was ready to go to the next level."

Sprague, who played 11 seasons in the big leagues from 1991-2001, said Murphy's breakthrough junior season raised his value and scouts have told him the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder has plenty of potential for the next level.

"He settled down, slowed the game down and his true ability came out," Sprague said. "The body and athleticism are there and he has a great arm. He's got a good left-handed stroke and they project some power in there as well."

Murphy hit .315 this spring with five home runs, 34 RBI and 35 runs after two subpar seasons to open his college career, hitting .232 as a freshman and .211 as a sophomore. The 21-year-old said he was in a two-year funk before having surgery last summer to correct a "hormone imbalance that was causing fatigue and lack of mental clarity," he said. It helped turn around his career and propel him to the pros.

Heidi Murphy said she was conflicted about her son's decision to become a professional just two classes shy of earning his degree in business administration, but said she and her husband John encouraged him to make the move after Sprague and Murphy's cousin and former 13-year Major Leaguer Goeff Blum said he was ready. Taylor Murphy chose to go to Pacific after he was a 40th-round selection by the San Diego Padres in 2011 after playing at Torrey Pines High.

"We're blown away and very excited for him because he's talked about this since he's been able to walk," Heidi Murphy said. "We've been so grateful every time he's continued on to the next level, because so many kids don't."